


Protection Camp

by Mochiluv



Category: Camp Camp (Web Series)
Genre: Assassination, Death, Murder, Protection au, Protection!Camp, Serial Killer David (Camp Camp), dadvid
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-06-27
Updated: 2019-07-05
Packaged: 2020-05-20 14:52:06
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 4
Words: 8,030
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19378945
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mochiluv/pseuds/Mochiluv
Summary: Camp Campbell, a well-known shithole, is a place no parent would willingly send their child. Still, after over 40 years, it remains in business, largely due to large deposits of money from anonymous donors. Nobody knows why the camp is funded so heavily, or why the money seems to never go towards bettering their facilities, but those who attempt to find out always end up... disappearing, and Max was going to find out why.





	1. Get in Line

It's like this every morning. A soothing quiet nothingness for eight beautiful, peaceful hours. The wind settling into a calm stream of noise to lull nature to rest until the sun rises again. The lake seizing its rapids and waves in lieu of a subtle clashing of tides. Not a single noise escaping from the unknown woods, all the critters finally relaxing after a long day of watching, killing, and protecting. As the sun ascends, the wind remembers itself, shaking the trees in a morning greeting. The lake resumes its rapids and waves as is its intended purpose, bringing life back to the creatures that inhabit it. Time starts once again for the critters who watch, and kill, but have never stopped protecting, for that is a full-time job. 

Protection, the one thing that stains the peaceful night, is a given, though not many people know. Protection is mistaken for disruption when the peace is broken, but the peace would be broken even without it. Protection will take the blame for the disruption, not to aid them, but to shield who they must protect from the truth. The truth that they are not safe, and the peaceful slumber they have been partaking in has been a fabrication, since the very beginning.

What Max can only describe as the voice that haunts his nightmares, always ends up being the first thing he hears every day. There is no way David is real, no normal person can fully wake up and be that energetic. "Time to greet the day my ass," Max mumbled under his breath groggily shifting into the fetal position. Its never an easy morning in this place, why would it be. Camp Campbell lacks everything a good camp should have. Toilets, showers, nothing works in this dump. Not to mention everything is a mile away. Max was already dreading having to walk all the way to the outhouse for his morning piss. He wished he could just leisurely wake up, roll out to a nice hot cup of coffee, and round the corner to a functional bathroom. Instead, he had to wake up to David's insistent cheery voice saying the most annoying shit Max had ever heard. To make it worse, he was always so fucking loud. One minute Max is blissfully unaware of his existence, then he's thrusted face first into the Chucky Cheese ballpit called consciousness. Max could never hear him approaching, but once David made his presence known, Max knew his sleep was over. His head was pounding. Rubbing his temples, Max called towards the lump sleeping in the bed next to him. 

"Neil...NEIL. HEY SHITHEAD WAKE UP!"

Not even a flinch. Damn asshole could sleep through the next World War. Fucking ridiculous, now he was going to have to make his coffee himself. Max begrudgingly shuffled towards the coffee maker, taking extra care to kick Neil's bed when passing it. He made sure to get his favorite mug, a white ceramic one with a blue circle imprinted with white letters reading "Nope," and started brewing his coffee. The whirr of the machine was unsurprisingly soothing. It helped to drown out David, but it also reminded Max of the time he would spend with his father. When he was young, younger than he is now, Max loved that time. His fondness was less about being with his uncaring father, and more about the metallic expanse of his father's factories. The aisles upon aisles of machinery constantly making something, (Max never knew what) was much better than being in the house. The family drama couldn't reach him there, it was only background noise and the occasional business dispute. 

"Max? Neil? Time to wake up sleepy heads!" David proclaimed, sticking his head through the tent door. Neil shifted under the covers, even he wasn't safe from David's morning alarms. "It's time for breakfast! I need all campers to get in line! Gwen's feeling a little under the weather today."

Max already knew it was going to be one of those days. He took a long sip of his coffee, preparing himself for the shitstorm that is a David only day, and spilled the rest on the Neil lump. 

"OW! WHAT THE FUCK!"

Neil's sheets were wet and steaming, unfortunately for him, they were too shitty and thin to protect his pajama pants from the coffee. 

"Get your ass up Neil, Gwen's out today and you know how paranoid David gets about losing a camper."

Neil scowled at Max, and just in case his displeasure wasn't apparent already, Neil flipped him the bird and got dressed. Max picked the cleanest of his blue hoodies out from his luggage and pulled it over his yellow Camp Campbell shirt. As much as he hated the camp, his parents only packed him hoodies so he was forced to wear their "merchandise." Max reach toward his red shoes and slowly put them on, trying to delay David as much as possible. He wanted to see how he would react. After years of going to this shitty camp, Max learned whenever Gwen was gone, David would become stricter. He was still his normal self, (if you could even call him normal) he would just need the campers in his sight at all times. He would try to keep the campers organized, keyword try. Max would have none of it. David was annoying on a normal day, but when Gwen was out, Max couldn't help trying to get a rise out of him. Once he had finally put on his shoes, Max sauntered casually and as slowly as possible out of his tent, Neil following close behind. Good thing he wasn't walking any faster because if he had been, he would have slammed face first into David who was waiting right outside.

"Glad you finally decided to join us Max, Neil."

"Yea, yea, whatever. Let's get on with the roll call so I can take a piss."

"Language. If you could step in line please."

It was, for lack of a better word, a moist day outside. It had probably rained the night before because once he had stepped in line, Max sunk an inch or two into the mud below his feet. 

"Dolph?"  
"Here!"

"Ered?"  
"Right here."

Could he go any fucking slower with this roll call? His shoes had already solidified in the mud.

"Harrison?"  
"Here."

"Max?"  
"You know I'm fucking here you just saw me."

"Neil?"  
"Present."

Shit head. Roll call was a daily thing at Camp Campbell. People go missing around the campgrounds and the campers were no exceptions, it was an effective way of making sure everyone was still there. Chucky was one of the unlucky ones, no one knew what happened to him, but the next day Gwen and David were covered in bruises. Neither would say anything about what happened to them but Max hypothesized it had to be related to Chucky and his disappearance. The cops never showed up to investigate either which was... peculiar. There was something off about this camp. Why would anyone send their kids here? The place was a shithole, the counselors incompetent, and the missing person rate had to be higher than that of a small town. It made no sense! Yet here he was. Max could easily brush it off as his parents lack of care for him, but the other campers? Max had seen Nerris' parents when they dropped her off. They loved her. Same with Ered. So why would those caring parents send their child here? 

Lost in thought, Max hadn't even noticed the line started moving. Neil nudged him along from behind, freeing his shoes from their muddy cemented prison, towards the Dining Hall for breakfast. Finally, when everyone was inside, Max could go with the QuarterMaster to the outhouse to relieve himself. Even when Gwen was here the campers weren't allowed to go anywhere without a chaperone. He could understand their concern for the campers' safety but who was gonna snatch them up on the brief trip to the bathroom? Legit no one. The crazies could have their pick of the litter any other time of day. Gwen and David definitely couldn't stop them. Or maybe they were worried about campers running away. That sounded more plausible, he would leave if he could.

On the way back to the Dining Hall, Max could have sworn he saw Gwen up and about, but when he told David, he was brushed off. 

Breakfast looked like shit. Max took his usual seat next to Neil and Nikki and examined his "eggs" and "bacon" thoroughly before deciding against a stomach bug, pushing his tray closer to his feral friend. It was gone in seconds. Nikki gestured towards Neil's food, prompting him to reluctantly pass her his tray too. Max and Neil watched in awe as Nikki ate three trays of "eggs" and "bacon" without hesitation.

"Damn, Nikki slow down, you're gonna choke." 

Max was surprised by the ferocity with which Nikki downed her meal. It was as if she hadn't eaten in days. The "eggs" dripped slightly from the corners of her mouth as she drank a glass of orange juice in on gulp. At this point, she was just using her hands. She really was an animal.

"I need to fuel up guys! I heard David's taking us on a hike today!! I need to be at my best so I can force the bear I saw yesterday to join my pack!"

Neil's shoulders tensed up as he retorted, "Bear? You saw a bear. I don't know if I should be scared or skeptical Nikki."

Max glared at Neil in a mix of confusion and slight disappointment. He loved the kid but sometimes, for a genius, he can be a real idiot. 

"Is that really what you're confused about Neil? What about the fact that David's taking us on a hike? I've been here for three summers straight and not ONCE have we gone on a hike without both David AND Gwen." 

The introspective look on Neil's face was enough to assure Max he was right to find this odd. David always gave the spiel that hiking without Gwen would be dangerous and vice versa. Neither Gwen nor David ever even took the campers outside of the campgrounds without both of them being there. That in its own right was suspicious but what could he do, ask David? Fuck no! There is 100% something off about David, and Gwen, and this camp, and there was no way Max was letting anybody know he was on to them. Not to mention, Max knew Camp Campbell received cash deposits monthly from seemingly untraceable sources. 

Why is this shithole of a camp funded so heavily, and why does the money never go towards fixing everything that's broken? More importantly, why do people keep disappearing? 

It was all too strange to be a coincidence, and Max knew, he was going to be the one to get to the bottom of it. 

Even if it was the last thing he'd ever do.


	2. The Hike

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The campers go on a hike! A fun experience for everyone!

The Dining Hall was as active as ever, food flying and campers socializing. Normally, a sight like this would fill David with so much joy, but today he had other things on his mind. Like when Gwen was coming back and what news she would bring. His mind was racing at a mile a minute and nothing could stop him thinking, and worrying, and planning. _I'll take them out of the camp, that way Gwen can continue her sweep and the kids can be safe._ It was a good plan, one they had never executed solo before. Then again, this situation hadn't exactly happened before either. This time was different and David had to be ready for it. The only problem... Max. He was a wild card, David could never predict what he would do. Of course, David knew he was suspicious, but he also knew Max was oblivious. David was always so careful, there was nothing for Max to confirm any of his suspicions with. This was his job, and he was damn good at it.

"Alright kiddos! Breakfast is over, everyone excited for today's hike?"

Utter silence, except for the howls of Nikki who was perched up on the table on all fours. It was nice to see some excitement for a camp activity. David made sure everyone filed into a line and began handing out hiking gear and tents. Max clearly wasn't informed this would be a nightly trip because as soon as he received his tent he began directing a string of profanities toward the counselor. David almost felt bad, but he knew to make the campers go, it was for the best. 

Just because this hike was for their safety, that didn't mean David didn't want it to be a fun experience. After all, fun was part of his job description! David escorted the campers, single file, back to their tents to gather any items they might want with them on the hike. Nurf came out with a switchblade which David promptly confiscated. Space Kid, a relatively small book with a giant rocket sticker on the front cover. Neil brought a calculator, god knows why. Nerris took her dice, Dolph his sketchbook, Preston a script of some play David never heard of, and Harrison a black top hat. Ered and Nikki didn't even bother going into their tents, instead opting to pick up long walking sticks. And finally, Max came out with...a flashlight? Was he afraid of the dark?

David wished he could tell Max there was nothing that could hurt him, but he knew he couldn't. David wouldn't let anything hurt any of his campers. Instead, David would have to settle on helping Max to overcome his fear without jeopardizing his position as a protector. 

Max looked slightly unnerved, for what reason, David didn't know. He could only assume it was the dark. Maybe Max's string of profanity earlier was in protest of staying out in the dark? How did he never think of that! Poor Max... Scared of the dark and too scared to tell anyone. _Max don't worry. The dark can't hurt you, and anything that can, I'll hurt._ David approached Max in an attempt to spark a conversation about his fear of the dark. Max inched away. 

Looking down, Max sneered, "What do you want camp man." 

"You're bringing a flashlight with you but we're traveling in sunlight."

"Yea, so? You said we could bring whatever we wanted right? Lay off."

"Are you scared of the dark Max?"

A look of confusion came across Max's face. It twisted and morphed into a look of realization followed by a pause. Max hesitantly, and very slowly nodded his head yes. David could feel himself well up with empathy and happiness at that fact that Max had decided to share this with him. David did his best to reassure Max that the night was not scary at all and that it was the most peaceful time of day. He recounted a story his mother used to tell him when he was a child about nature and the critters who keep the night safe in an attempt to reassure Max. It seemed to work, Max seemed less unnerved. David could have even sworn he even smiled!

The plan was to start the hike after lunch. Since Gwen was out, the campers did inside activities to pass the time. It was Arts and Crafts day so everyone came out covered in glitter and marker. Ered downed a whole bottle of edible glue as part of a dare and Nikki almost did the same but David managed to stop it in time. Overall it was a pretty average day at Camp Campbell.

At 1:00, after everyone had finished their lunch, David took roll and had everyone gather up their hiking gear. After everyone had their gear, they set off. 

This trip would be extra difficult because David would have no one to watch his back. He would need to be both the counselor leading the group and the counselor making sure there were no stragglers. Every few feet David would have to stop the group to check everyone was still there, then start again. It was less of a hike and more of a slow trudge, it was clear some of the less excitable campers had become more irritable. He didn't know how much longer they would put up with it. 

The hike had been running smoothly until about 15 minutes in. The dreaded scrapped knee was Preston's. He had been reading his script while walking, not paying attention to the terrain. The culprit of this heinous crime? A rock. The rock was appropriately interrogated for its transgressions until Preston cracked a smile. Even as Preston laughed at David for treating him like a baby, he could tell Preston appreciated the gesture. If he was honest, David wasn't the best with kids. He loved all his campers and would protect them no matter the cost, he just wasn't someone kids inherently liked. There was a kind of charm to that though. In his opinion, it was better to work towards building a relationship with his campers instead of just being given their respect. Not many people share that opinion with him, Gwen especially, but that's what he believed wholeheartedly. The whole process was a beautiful thing, not just the end result.

Speaking of beautiful, the forest was beyond beautiful. The green of the trees vibrant and full of life, slightly damp with rainwater from the night before. The sky, a calming blue as the sun begins to set in the distance. The dirt, thankfully, turned to mud helping to easily hide the campers tracks. David couldn't help feeling bad Gwen had to miss the sights. The beauty could make anyone relax. A light tug on his shorts brought David back to the present (not that he ever really left, he couldn't afford to be careless). It was Space Kid, he looked worried. 

Space Kid pulled on David trying to bring him to a more private place to talk. That was reasonable, just as long as he wasn't going to be too far from the rest of the campers. David wasn't sure what was wrong but he knew it was important to give every camper the attention they deserve! Space Kid led David back down the trail only a few feet away from the other campers, but far enough that they wouldn't be able to hear their conversation.

"What's wrong little guy?"

Space Kid's eyes widened with what looked like a mix of panic and worry, and David couldn't help catching whatever Space Kid was actually feeling. All the calming properties of nature vanished in a second as a sea of dread overcame him. Something was wrong. He could feel it. 

"Space Kid." David's voice dropped, all emotion scrubbed out of his words. "Tell me what happened."

It wasn't a question, but a demand. He had to know. What if something happened? What if his camper saw someone? 

No. 

What if someone saw him? 

David could feel his instincts itching under his skin. If he had to defend his campers, he had his pocket knife in his left sock and Nurf's knife in his right. Worst case scenario, he could have Max lead the campers back down the trail while he took care of anything threatening his campers safety. A lot of the kids this year were bright so there would be a high probability of them not getting lost. Then again, their footprints wouldn't be there to guide them back... Would he have time to give them directions? Maybe going on this hike alone was a bad idea. They should have stayed behind with Gwen and the Quartermaster. The kids need to be safe. He couldn't guarantee they were safe if he stayed behind. How would he know they were safe? Are they safe? What is the threat? Why isn't Space Kid saying anything?

He was scaring him. What did he look like right now to make Space Kid look so scared? Calm down. Assess the situation, get the information. 

"I'm sorry Space Kid, I haven't got much sleep so I wasn't listening. Tell me again. What's wrong?"

Space Kid shifted, his face contorting a little as it went back to the worried expression he wore earlier. 

"I dropped my tent and I had my space cadet journal in the bag with it. We have to go back!" 

Oh. Oh okay.  
David's hand twitched at his side, _I-Maybe I overreacted a little bit?_ Had that really been it? Why did he feel such dread over such a minuscule thing?

"I'm really sorry Mr. David, You look really pale. Are you mad?"

"No- no of course not Space Kid. I'm sorry but we can't go back to get it right now. I'll go out to find it when Gwen gets back. You can have my tent tonight, I'm not planning on sleeping anyway."

"Wow really? Thanks Mr.David!"

 _Don't mention it._ David thought, ushering Space Kid back to the group. For some reason though, he couldn't shake the feeling that something was still off. It was such a vivid feeling, maybe he should take roll, just to make sure everything's okay. 

Ok, Dolph?  
Check. 

Ered?  
There she is, right next to Harrison, perfect. 

Max? 

_Where is he._

Oh sugar honey iced tea.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am so excited for when everything I have planned is revealed. It's not gonna be anytime soon but I'm still excited!!!
> 
> Also can't wait until Gwen is back in the story, it's gonna be great top quality.


	3. Two Beating Red Eyes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Something happens to Max out in the woods, alone.
> 
> Please check the endnotes for some trigger warnings!!

Max sprinted through the rough terrain slipping occasionally on the wet ground below him. The dirt and mud that coated his shoes seeped through to his socks with every step. It was still light out, Max noted, so he had a few more hours to find his way back to camp. Whatever was happening, Max knew it was happening at camp. David was taking the campers out of the campground in order to hide something, so the only logical course of action would be to go back. In addition, Max knew with 100% certainty that Gwen was up and about. Why David would lie about her being sick was beyond him, but he had theories. There would be no way Max could relax if he let this opportunity slip by, Space Kid had been the perfect decoy.

The original plan was to follow their footprints back to camp but they seemed to have washed away. The only thing guiding Max was the trail and his vague memory of the trees and terrain around him. Green upon green upon obnoxious green everywhere he went. It was sickening. How David found joy in it he couldn't understand.

Wait...Hadn't he just passed that tree?

It wasn't dark yet but Max found himself clutching tighter to his flashlight. It provided a sense of security even if it wasn't really doing anything at the moment. He pushed forward, what was it David said during navigation camp? _The sunsets in the west._ He had to keep moving west.

It felt like hours, it might have been hours. If he had the common sense to bring a watch he would be able to say with certainty. If it was any consolation though, he was sure he was nearing camp. There had been a couple of hiccups, he couldn't lie, and he was out here longer than he had hoped, but that's what the flashlight was for. Its main purpose was to light the way but Max had figured if he got lost he could strobe the light for a higher likelihood of being found. 

The forest around him seemed to be getting less and less dense. Camp Campbell shouldn't be too far ahead. Each step added to his fatigue, the slippery mud made walking consume more energy. Maybe it was time for a quick break. He had just passed a clearing with more grass than dirt and it would be a much cleaner option than sitting near the muddy trail.

Once at the field, Max found a sturdy tree and sat down in front of it, putting all of his weight onto its trunk. He hadn't realized how tired he was until he sat down. His legs felt like they were on the brink of giving out. It was nighttime at that point and Max knew he would have to settle there for the night. He set up the tent he was carrying fairly easily thanks to David's lessons and went inside.  
Reaching into his bag, Max tried to find something to eat. He knew there was a granola bar somewhere inside but he couldn't find it. Max emptied his bag onto the floor, worried he might have forgotten it. As he rifled through his items, Max finally found it between his bundle of rope and the purple notebook he took from Space Kid. 

He tried to eat but the feeling of fatigue he had was overtaking his body and he could bearly think straight. That's why when Max saw a figure in the distance he found it hard to believe his mind wasn't playing tricks on him.

A large hulking mass was standing in the clearing. Was that a bear? Must have been the one Nikki talked about the other day. The forest shadows concealed a lot of its features but there was no doubt it was huge. It didn't seem to have noticed him so Max thought it best to leave as quickly and quietly as possible. Keeping his eye on the bear, Max backed away from the clearing leaving his tent and items behind.

*SNAP*

A branch! A fucking tree branch! What is this a cliche horror movie? Max could feel his fear welling up inside him. This was how he died. The bear's head turned immediately as the stimuli hit its ears, but it was silent. No rawr, no other movements, Max couldn't even hear it breathing. He should have stayed with David. What if this was the reason they had to leave the campgrounds? That would explain why David was acting so shady today. Then again, this bear couldn't have been terrorizing the camp for three years. It was huge! Three times- no, four times his height and width too. It seemed to be holding something. Something long and cylindrical, maybe a stick? No- it was shiny. It wa- oh god. _That's not a bear._

His whole body shook at the realization. He could feel his legs give out as he placed a hand on the tree next to him for support. His breath became erratic. _Scared of the dark. Really? Why the fuck would I be scared of the dark when I could be scared of a man four times my size holding a shotgun._ A shaky smile encroached on his face. He was actually going to die. 

The man approached.

"Hey man, stay back! I'm scrappy! I'll fucking kill you!!"Max screamed.

Each step brought the man more in view under the sunlight. His features were heavily accentuated, his jawline sharp enough to cut paper and his cheekbones high enough to be arrested for marijuana use. He wore large camo pants, held up only by his dark brown belt, and wore a black tank top with dog tags hanging from his neck. His hair was brown and cut short with a fade, he looked like he had served in the army. The man spoke with a heavy Russain accent, unmoved by Max's threats. 

"Child, are you from the Camp of Campbell?"

The man was asking about Camp Campbell? _No- don't tell me this is the guy who's been making people disappear?_ Here were the answers to Max's questions right in front of his face and he couldn't do anything. This man had a GUN. Max was going to disappear. Just like Harrison's brother. Just like Chucky. This was all too much. 

"Answer me, boy. I will not ask again."

Max felt his heart in his throats. It was beating unnaturally fast. Fear was keeping him in place but he knew if he didn't answer, he would be killed. He would be killed either way. With the small amount of willpower he was able to muster, Max shook his head yes. He should have said no.

"Are you the boy known as Neil?"

How did he know that name? This was bad, he couldn't tell this man anything. Does he want to hurt Neil? What the fuck did he ever do to you? Why the fuck are you here asshole? Fuck off! Get out! Like water to a flame, the blood beneath his skin began to boil. Hotter than a volcano itself, the need to protect rose in him like bile. It was a new feeling, he had never felt this before. Not even during his father's business deals. If he had to, could he hurt this man? 

"No. I'm not. What do you want with him?"

The man's red-tinted eyes glistened, something he had heard pleased him. There was hunger in the words he said next, for what Max didn't know, but it scared all the rebellious thoughts right out of his head.

" _So you know him then._ "

He was frozen. The glaring red eyes locked him in place as each step closer that the man took shook Max's entire world. 

_Stop._

_STOP._

_DAD PLEASE._

Max's vision went dark as he was taken back to a horrible moment in his past. His father was a tall man, much to thin for his height with short curly black hair. He didn't cut an intimidating figure but his eyes, they were enough to make anyone cover in fear. Whenever they were trained on Max, the hatred and displeasure those eyes held were physically tangible. It was a wonder how he hadn't gone crazy looking at them for so long. 

He knew his father was a terrible person. He was greedy, uncaring, and selfish, much like any other businessmen. His main attributes, however, never made themselves known at work. His eyes would soften, becoming their natural blue color and Max could look at him. His demeanor would become calmer, driven by his intellect instead of his raging emotions. It helped him to interact better with customers, allowing him to hide his rotten core. The man had no morals. He lied constantly, hated his family, and sold people under the bus for a quick buck. That's why it was no surprise when Max learned of his father's shady dealings. What he sold to them, Max couldn't tell you, but whenever they came into the factories, Max was to stay out of sight. They often fought, probably about costs, but they never left holding a product. Even so, Max knew they got what they paid for because they would always come back for more.

Truly, he loved his father's factories, he could drown everything out there. And like everything Max loved, his father ruined it. Four years ago, Max's father was killed. Found inside a vat at one of his factories. The machines' whirls were as calming and inviting as they always had been, nothing seemed amiss. Until one of the machines began to sputter. At the time, Max thought nothing of it, the machines broke all the time, but the noise got louder. He went to go check on the machine to see what was wrong when he saw it. His father. Red-eyed. Angry and disappointed and hateful and dead. His body was caught in the metal blender, his legs were gone. All there was left was his torso, half sliced by the blade, and his bloodshot eyes. The sight scarred Max so deeply he could never enter a factory again without violently throwing up. His father's killer was never found, but Max knew, without a doubt, it was one of the businessmen. 

The next thing he knew, he was living with his mother. He barely knew her, the only memories he had of her were the daily arguments she and his father had when on the phone. Her bipolar disorder seemed to get worse every day he lived with her. He looked too much like his father. He knew she loved him though. If the court hadn't given custody of him to his father he would have probably been much happier.

Then, one year after his father's death, his mother received a letter. She became paranoid, angry, and scared. Nothing could calm her down. She began sending him to a private academy and when summer came, she sent him to Camp Campbell. That cycle repeated for three torturous years. Max couldn't tell you why. He had theories, but none had proof.

He was gonna miss his mom when he died.

He was going to miss living.

He didn't want to die.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am so excited to get into the gruesome parts of this fic!!! Hope you guys like this chapter!
> 
> Trigger warning:  
> Blood, Red eyes, Death, Trauma, Non-Physical Abuse


	4. The Space Race

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> David's emotions threaten to get in the way of his job.

What David told Space Kid wasn't a lie, he really wasn't going to sleep tonight. He couldn't get Max off of his mind. Frantic calls to Gwen helped to calm his nerves but he hated how little control he had. Max was all alone and most likely scared and he couldn't do anything, not with all of the other campers needing him. 

If only he could be two places at once, that would make his job so much easier. If there were two of him, he wouldn't need Gwen anymore. Not that there was anything wrong with his co-counselor, she was incredibly skilled, it would just be more efficient to have another person like David. Another person who doesn't look back or hesitate, someone willing to get their hands dirty. Someone- Well, it doesn't matter. For all David knew there was no one motivated like him. He was irreplaceable. No one else would give their life for these kids, only him, and what use would it be to dwell on a fantasy. As of right now, Gwen was all he had, and though it pained him to do so, he would just have to trust she could find Max and bring him back safe. 

The night was quiet in all but David's loud thoughts and Nikki and Nurf's slightly obnoxious, but equally endearing snoring. All the present Camp Campbell campers had set up their tents and were drifting away peacefully into slumber. There was resistance from some of the more rowdy campers but all of the days hiking allowed David's early curfew to go into effect without a fuss. Max would have made a fuss, no doubt. _Why the fudge are we going to sleep so early? I didn't sign up for this!_ David couldn't help but smirk. With a few more actual profanities that would sound just like him. He was such a trouble maker, but David knew if Max learned the truth of Camp Campbell he would b- What was that. Shooting up from his sitting position, David listened intently. It was quiet but he knew better than to find solace in the silence. Years of working at Camp Campbell have taught him that there was always something lying beneath the surface. 

In the distance, just as he had hypothesized, he could hear something.

A far off rustling of trees alerted David to an approaching figure. Light footsteps advanced closer at an alarming speed urging David to ready himself against any potential attackers. He could deduce the figure was approximately 52 feet away based on the sound emulating from their footsteps. To the untrained ear, the footsteps would seem to be much farther away, however, it was clear the figure was trying to cover their movements. Unfortunately for them, they had been sloppy. 

As the distance between David and the figure shortened, David could determine more about the figure. He could make out their heavy breathing and, to his dismay, he could make out a second smaller person breathing as well. Whoever the smaller figure was, they were injured, their breathing was labored and shallow. The smaller person wasn't running either, there was only one audible set of footsteps. What if it was Max? It could be Max, it's extremely possible. Who was the larger figure? Who hurt him. The distance the larger figure had traveled had been immense but they showed no signs of stopping. _He's coming after the kids._ David placed a hand near his left sock readying himself for any scenario. Worst possible outcome, he would have to leave the campers to take care of some things. He hoped for their sake it wouldn't come to that.

The figure was close enough that David could smell the gunpowder and blood clinging to them like a parasite. The smell so pungent it numbed the senses. All he could do was hope the smaller figure was not shot. _If they hurt him I swear to GOD._ David’s hand twitched at his side thirsting for his knife. The anticipation was torturous, he could feel himself slipping into the nothingness. The run of the figure became a trudge as they reached the outskirts of the temporary campground. David hastily pulled his pocket knife from his left sock and readied himself to attack. Nothing would hurt his campers. He would defend them with his life.

Then from inside the forest, where the figures had been, David heard a bird call. All of the tension within his body left immediately. It was Gwen.

When she came into view, David noted her injuries. She was bleeding from what looked like a bullet graze on her left arm but was otherwise uninjured. Carrying Max in her arms seemed to exacerbate the wound but it was nothing she hadn't bounced back from before. David was more concerned about Max, he seemed to be unconscious and that was extremely concerning. 

"He's fine David. You know I wouldn't let anything happen to him." Gwen asserted, lowering Max onto the ground.

He did know that. He knew... but he couldn't believe that until he saw Max safe and sound. David checked to see if Max had sustained any injuries from his escapade but aside from some scrapes, Max was unharmed. _Thank god. I don't know what I would do if-_ He didn't want to think about that. Remembering the campers he had lost before and how he _felt_ , it was too much. Gwen wouldn't even come near him after Chucky... It wouldn't happen again.

When David looked at her, Gwen began to fill him in on what happened. 

She had been scouting the campgrounds when David called her about Max, he sounded nervous, which meant her paycheck might be deducted. About 15 minutes later, she heard a commotion near the tents. There was a flashing light that barely illuminated through the forest but was easily spotted from the trail, and she chased after it. What awaited her was who she had been looking for the entire day. What she wasn't expecting to see was Max curled up in a ball on the floor. There was no doubt in her mind that if she was seen, she would be killed, or even worse, she would have to go easy on her wallet for a few weeks. So she kept her distance and waited. Waited long enough that the man thought he was in control. Until he let his guard down and lowered his shotgun. All she had on her at the time was a Glock 19 so it was difficult to make a lethal shot from her distance. Instead, she opted to slow his movements with a single shot to the leg so she could run in to save Max. That was the plan, but her first shot missed and in quick retaliation, he shot her in her left arm. Gwen ran as fast as possible to close the distance between her and Max while firing off shots at the man. She didn't know whether or not anything landed but she did hear him scream in pain.

Avoiding his gaze, Gwen told David how the man seemed to be from the Russain Military. David didn't know what he looked like at that moment but Gwen refused to look him in the eyes. If what he was feeling was being reflected on his face, Gwen had a right to be scared.

Gwen winced as she cleaned her wound and urged David to go after her attacker. He wanted to, he really did, but leaving Gwen alone while injured seemed like a terrible idea. How would she protect the kids? Was leaving her the best course of action? The apprehension he felt displayed itself vividly on his face though Gwen wasn't looking at him to notice it. Before he could say anything in protest Gwen proclaimed, "David you know I've survived worse. Plus, you need to get rid of the disruption." There was no denying she was right. David had to go take care of their problem. He didn't want to leave her and the campers alone but _GOD_ how he wanted to break that guy's neck. In a sign of resignation, David silently placed a hand on her shoulder and left towards the clearing. "I'll be back soon."

Gwen didn't leave a trail to the campers, David noted, so there was a low likelihood the disruption found his way to their make-shift camp. The forest was a much more difficult path to traverse than the trail due to its rough, unpredictable terrain but he had to make sure Gwen covered her tracks. Plus as a bonus, it was the fastest way down to the clearing. If Gwen managed to land a shot the disruption might still be there. 

Once he had found the clearing, David wasn't surprised to see no one there. His opponent was a soldier, so he probably knew to hide when reinforcements were coming. Though maybe David was giving him too much credit, the Russain was still in the area. The smell of fresh blood was a hard one to cover up and it could lead David straight to him. "I know you're here." David announced twirling his pocket knife around in his hands, "Might as well come out. Make it easier on both of us." When the Russain came into view, the smell of blood permeated more abundantly through the air. 

The man had a gaping hole in his right temple, though it was unrecognizable from the bullet hole a Glock 19 would have left. "Woah, good thing you chose to be a soldier and not a doctor." David chuckled. The man's mutilation of himself undoubtedly served no purpose as the bullet was still visibly lodged in his cranium. The man across from him let out a hearty laugh, "Oh this? Your lady friend got me pretty good! A lady like her would sell big in my country." Sticking out his tongue, the Russian positioned his shotgun on his crotch and thrusted it forward. "My friends and I will have a fun time with her after we kill you." 

David's lack of response seemed to displease the Russain. The threats he made were child's play compared to the Camp's P.O. box. So unless the Russain had a bomb on him, David wasn't going to be fazed.

The Russain grimaced and rifled through his backpack. David's body stiffened, he recognized the item in the Russain's possession. In his hands was a purple book with a giant rocket ship on the cover. The man taunted, "Do you know who owns this?" Of course he knew. David exclaimed, "Neil Armstrong is under the protection of Camp Campbell." A cocky look spread across the disturbance's face as he scoffed, "What? Do you really think I am scared of the little counselors at this run down camp? I am trained soldier for Russain military!" His cocky expression grew as he stared David dead on and flipped to a random page in the purple journal.

Then he began to read, "Day 608 - Camp is soo cool, Nikki and I played astronaut today. She didn't know much about space but I made sure to teach her everything about it!" The air around David seemed to thicken as his breathing hastened. _Shut up._ "Day 715 - I caught a beetle today! Max told me to put it in my suit but I told him that you can't take beetles to space! He looked at me funny, he was probably confused." In an almost feral position, David's back arched forward prepared to pounce. One hand gripped so tightly around his knife, the hilt threated to break, and the other hand dug into itself so deeply, he was sure to break skin. The scraping sound of his teeth grinding together resonated through his head as he tried to hold himself back from his primal urges. That book didn't belong to him. He shouldn't be reading it. "Day Today - A man hurt me. He hunted me down and took me away from my friends... I want to go home!" David's whole body was trembling, his eyes were locked on the Russain. He fought the urge to bare his teeth, instead opting to squeeze his hands harder. 

David was being so unprofessional, he shouldn't get emotional during his job. He couldn't. Emotions get people killed and he can't afford to die yet. _Then again, if emotions get people killed, it might not be me who dies._ David thought, glaring directly into the Russain's revolting eyes. As if on cue the Russain closed the book and stared back, continuing his mockery, "I'm in so much _pain_. It hurts. Why didn't you save me, Camp Man?" A warm liquid trickled its way down David's palm in a familiar way, he squeezed his fist harder and a waterfall leaked from his hand. A deep, guttural growl crawled its way from the deepest depths of David's being. He wanted to kill him. He wanted to gouge out his eyes and force-feed them back to him. He wanted to rip out his jugular with his blunt teeth so it would be messy, and long, and painful. The thought of anyone speaking, or even thinking, about one of his campers made David seethe with rage. Everyone affiliated with this filthy, repulsive creature was going to die at David's hands. He would not rest until his hands interlaced around their throats and he SQUEEZED and SQUEEZED until the beautiful silent song of nature rung rampant. He wanted to see the life drain out of each and every one of their child-killing eyes so that he knew for certain his campers were safe.

The smell of blood that once permeated the air was now host to a much too familiar scent of palpable fear and weakness. The Russain wasted no time in putting the shotgun to David's face. Anger emanated from all of David's orifices. "Hey? What happened?" He questioned angrily, his beaming red eyes piercing straight through the Russain's soul. "What's wrong?" David pushed on, inching closer and closer to the disruption. Panic began to rise in the Russain's throat. This was not the same man as before. His eyes were clearly that of a killer but none like he had ever crossed. His year's of service in the military could never have prepared him for this type of beast. If he didn't shoot, he would be dead. So why couldn't he move? Why was it that the bile in his throat threated to spill out at any second and he was considering turning tail and running away. The Russain couldn't look at him. His blood-red eyes were enough to make anyone cover in fear. "Shoot me." David seethed, grabbing the barrel of the shotgun. "Did that bullet in your head give you a brain injury or are you and just an idiot? I said SHOOT ME." 

*Click*

"Should have reloaded" David whispered, pushing him to the ground. Was the Russain Military's decades-long grudge against the Armstrong's worth bearing witness to a demon? The Russain pathetically crawled away from David until he reached the forest trees. "You're a monster" he screamed, raising his hand to his face to avoid David's intense gaze.

Then in a voice that would forever haunt his nightmares, David growled, "Maybe, but you're lucky I can control myself."

Then plunged his knife directly into the Russain's heart.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> THIS CHAPTER TOOK 5 EVER! I revised it so many times it's not even funny. I really had a specific feeling I wanted to capture and am quite proud of how it turned out. Make sure to leave a comment with thoughts or theories or anything else about the fic. I love to hear from you guys!
> 
> Warnings!  
> Blood, Gun, Violence, Killing, Graphic Depictions, Mention of Rape (VERY SLIGHT ONLY LIKE ONE LINE)

**Author's Note:**

> So I'm not the best at writing, but I had a really good idea for an AU and I really wanted to explore it!!! I hope you guys like this first chapter as an introduction. I will try to update the story as much as possible but I also have other things to work on rn so no promises I will be quick about it :P
> 
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> 
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